Bus side panel

ABSTRACT

The structural framework of a bus body includes carlines of tubular steel construction spaced longitudinally thereof. The outer sidewall construction of the bus body includes a plurality of lower side panels. The lower edge portion of each side panel is attached to the carlines in laterally spaced relation therefrom by resilient links of tire carcass. The upper edge portion of the lower side panel includes an inwardly offset continuous flange which is juxtaposed to an outwardly extending flange on an upper side panel. A rubber rubrail attached to the upper side panel includes a downwardly extending portion having a groove in which an insert may be installed to spread the lower portion downwardly and inwardly to hold the inwardly offset flange of the lower panel against the outwardly extending flange of the upper panel and thereby attach the lower side panel to the body. When the lower side panel is impacted it pivots about its upper edge portion as permitted by yielding of the rubber rubrail as its lower side portion is moved inwardly toward the carlines as the resilient links yield.

United States Patent [1 1 I Manning BUS SIDE PANEL Donald L. Manning,Orchard Lake,

Mich.

[73] Assignee: General Motors Corporation,

Detroit, Mich.

[22] Filed: May 30, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 257,759

[75] Inventor:

Primary ExaminerDavid Schonberg Assistant E.raminerJohn A. Pekar I45]Feb. 26, 1974 57 1 ABSTRACT The structural framework of a bus bodyincludes carlines of tubular steel construction spacedlongitudinally-thereof. The outer sidewall construction of the bus bodyincludes a plurality of lower side panels. The lower edge portion ofeach side panel is attached to the carlines in laterally spaced relationtherefrom by resilient links of tire carcass. The upper edge portion ofthe lower side panel includes an inwardly offset continuous flange whichis juxtaposed to an outwardly extending flange on an upper side panel. Arubber rubrail attached to the upper side panel includes a downwardlyextending portion having a groove in which an insert may be installed tospread the lower portion downwardly and inwardly to hold the inwardlyoffset flange of the lower panel against the outwardly extending flangeof the upper panel and thereby attach the lower side panel to the body.When the lower side panel is impacted it pivots about its upper edgeportion as permitted by yielding of the rubber rubrail as its lower sideportion is moved inwardly toward the carlines as the resilient linksyield.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BUS SIDE PANEL pair of collision or otherdamage necessitates the removal of the rivets, and straightening orreplacement of the aluminum plates. It is also well known that in orderto prevent galvanic corrosion of aluminum, the surfaces of dissimilarmetals such as steel in contact with the aluminum must be properlycoated with paint or be plated.

It will therefore be apparent that it is advantageous to provide a bussidewall structure which may be easily assembled to the bus body, is notsubject to galvanic corrosion, and may be easily replaced when damaged.

The present invention provides such an outer sidewall structure for abus body which includes a lower side panel spaced from the bodystructural framework at its lower portion to protect the framework fromcollision damage.

The bus body includes carlines of tubular steel construction spacedlongitudinally thereof. Such carlines may advantageously define and areherein disclosed as defining the end of body modules although it will beun- Another feature of the invention is the provision of a bus exteriorsidewall construction of dent and corrosion resistant material.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of an exteriorsidewall construction for a bus body including a plurality of separatepanels attached to the body framework at only their upper and lower edgeportions and removable individually to facilitate replacement of suchpanels.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent upon consideration of the appended specification and thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevation view of a bus body. embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 2-2 of FIG.1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view taken in the of arrows 33 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, a bus body generally indicated direction at 10 isshown. The bus body 10 is of modular construcreceives an insert.-Thelower outer sidewallconstruction of the vehicle body includes a numberof the lower sidepanels, each of module length. A continuouslongitudinally extending inwardly offset flange at the upper edgeportion of each of the lower side panels is placed between an outwardlyextending flange of the upper panel and the downward extending portionof the rubber rubrail. Installation of the insert in the groove of therubrail spreads the downwardly extending portion of the rubrail againstthe flange of the lower side panel to attach its upper edge portion tothe upper panel. The lower side panel has at its lower edge portionlongitudinally spaced brackets extending laterally thereof. A length ofrubber tire carcass is bolted to the brackets and to the body carlines.The tire carcass holds the lower portion of the lower side panel inlaterally spaced relation to the carline and yields when the lower sidepanel is impacted permitting the side panel to pivot inwardly toward thecarlines. The rubrail yields sufficiently to permit the lower side panelto pivot about the flange during such impact.

One feature of the present invention is that it provides an exteriorsidewall construction for a bus including a plurality of lower sidepanels resiliently mounted in laterally spaced relationship to the bodyframe structure and deflectable or laterally movable toward suchframework under impact.

tion and includes a driver and entry module A, a front suspension moduleB, and body modules C and D.-The bus body 10 also includes other bodymodules identical to C and D, a rear suspension module, and an enginemodule not shown.

Each of the modules has an integral stress sustaining structuralframework provided by longitudinally spaced U-shaped carlines 12,transversely extending bulkheads 14, a roof structure 16, and an innersidewall structure 18. As best seen in FIG. 3, the carlines 12 definethe endportions of the respective modules and are of rectangular tubularconstruction to provide high strength and low weight. The U-shapedcarlines 12 extend vertically through the sidewalls of the body as shownin FIG. 2 and horizontally through the roof structure 16'. The U-shapedcarlines 12 open downwardly and are joined at their respective lowerportions by transversely extending bulkheads 14. The roof struc-.

ture 16 of each module includes inner and outer panels whichare weldedat their respective ends to the spaced carlines 12. Each module alsoincludes an inner wall structure 18 extending longitudinally between thespaced carlines 12 and welded thereto. The various modules are joined toform the body 10 by welding the carlines 12, bulkheads 14, and innersidewall structures 18 of the adjacent modules together. A floorstructure extends between the bulkheads l4 and cooperates with the innersidewall structure 18 and roof structure 16 to define the passengercompartment.

The outer sidewall structure of the bus body 10 includes windows 22, anupper side panel 24, a rubber rubrail 26, and lower side panels 28. Theupper side panel 24 is preferably a single hollow member extending thelength of the body and having the space 32 therein receiving'aninsertable foam plastic member for thermal insulation. The upper sidepanel 24 is conventionally fastened to the carlines 12 by bolts 34. Theupper side panel 24 also has integral flanges 36, 38, and 40. Theextruded rubber rubrail 26 has integrally molded continuous slotstherein which permit attachment of the rubrail 26 to the flanges 36 and38 of the upper side panel by sliding the rubber rubrail 26 length- Iwise on the flanges 36 and 38 the length of the upper side panel 24.

wardly offset flange 46 at the upper edge thereof. The fore and aft sideedge portions of the lower side panels 28 are formed inwardly of thebody to provide flanges 44 which stiffen the panel. The integrallymolded offset flange 46 at the upper edge portion of lower side panel 28is inserted between the outwardly extending flange 40 of upper sidepanel 24 and a downwardly extending portion 48 of the rubber rubrail 26.

The rubber rubrail 26 has a continuous groove 52 in the downwardlyextending portion 48 thereof which receives an insert 54. When theinsert 54 is installed, the portion 48 of rubrail 26 is spread inwardlyand downwardly to attach offset flange 46 of the lower side panel 28 tothe upper side panel 24.

The lower edge portion of lower side panel 28 is attached to the bodycarlines 12 by a pair of resilient links 56. Brackets 58 are bonded tothe lower side panel 28 at its lower fore and aft portions. Theresilient link 56 is a strip of rubber tire carcass attached at one endto the bracket 58 by a conventional fastener 60 and at the other end tothe carlines 12 by a conventional fastener 62. The conventionalfasteners 60 and 62 are shown as a nut, bolt, and washer assembly.

The resilient link 56 is of such length and stiffness as to support thelower edge of lower side panel 28 in laterally spaced relation from thecarlines 12. When an impact is received against the lower side panel 28,the resilient link 56 will yield and the panel 20 will pivot inwardly ofthe body about its engagement with flange 40 of upper side panel 24 aspermitted by flexure of lower portion 48 of rubrail 26.

Furthermore, it will be apparent that any damaged lower side panels 28is easily replaced. The fasteners 60 and 62 and the insert 54 areremoved permitting pivotal movement of the damaged lower side panel 28outwardly of the body until the offset flange 46 thereof clears theflange 40 of the upper side panel 24. A new lower side panel 28 can beinserted, the insert 54 reinstalled, and the resilient links 56reconnected to the new lower side panel.

Thus it is seen that an improved bus outer sidewall construction isprovided offering economy of manufacture and service.

What is claimed is:

1. An outer sidewall construction for a vehicle body havinglongitudinally spaced carlines and comprising an upper panel extendingthe length of the vehicle body and including an outwardly extendingflange at the lower edge portion thereof, a rubber rubrail, meansattaching the rubber rubrail to the upper panel, a plurality of discretelower panels having upper and lower edge portions, the upper edgeportion of each of the lower panels including integrally formedcontinuous inwardly offset flanges juxtaposed to the outwardly extendingflange of the upper side panel by the rubber rubrail to pivotally securethe upper edge portions of each of the lower panels to the upper panel,resilient means attaching the lower edge portions of the lower panels tothe body carlines and in laterally spaced relation therefrom, saidrubber rubrail yielding to permit individual pivotal movement of thelower panels about the inwardly offset flange thereof when the resilientmeans yield to permit lateral movement of the lower edge portions of thelower panels toward the carlines in response to an impact thereagainst.pg,l3

2. An outer sidewall structure for vehicle body having longitudinallyspaced carlines and comprising: a plurality of discrete panels havingupper and lower edge portions, each of the panels extending betweenadjacent spaced carlines to provide an outer sidewall, continuous meanson the body at the upper edge portion of the plurality of discretepanels for pivotally see curing the upper edge portions of each of thepanels to the vehicle body, and resilient means attaching the forwardand rearward lower edge portions of each of the discrete panels to thespaced carlines independently of the adjacent panel and in laterallyspaced relation from the carline, the panels being independently pivotalabout the'upper edge thereof upon yielding of the resilient meansattaching the forward and rearward lower edge portions thereof to thevehicle body whereby when an impact is received against one of theplurality of panels, that panel is movable toward the carlines while theadjacent panels remain stationary.

1. An outer sidewall construction for a vehicle body havinglongitudinally spaced carlines and comprising an upper panel extendingthe length of the vehicle body and including an outwardly extendingflange at the lower edge portion thereof, a rubber rubrail, meansattaching the rubber rubrail to the upper panel, a plurality of discretelower panels having upper and lower edge portions, the upper edgeportion of each of the lower panels including integrally formedcontinuous inwardly offset flanges juxtaposed to the outwardly extendingflange of the upper side panel by the rubber rubrail to pivotally securethe upper edge portions of each of the lower panels to the upper panel,resilient means attaching the lower edge portions of the lower panels tothe body carlines and in laterally spaced relation therefrom, saidrubber rubrail yielding to permit individual pivotal movement of thelower panels about the inwardly offset flange thereof when the resilientmeans yield to permit lateral movement of the lower edge portions of thelower panels toward the carlines in response to an impact thereagainst.pg,13
 2. An outer sidewall structure for vehicle body havinglongitudinally spaced carlines and comprising: a plurality of discretepanels having upper and lower edge portions, each of the panelsextending between adjacent spaced carlines to provide an outer sidewall,continuous means on the body at the upper edge portion of the pluralityof discrete panels for pivotally securing the upper edge portions ofeach of the panels to the vehicle body, and resilient means attachingthe forward and rearward lower edge portions of each of the discretepanels to the spaced carlines independently of the adjacent panel and inlaterally spaced relation from the carline, the panels beingindependently pivotal about the upper edge thereof upon yielding of theresilient means attaching the forward and rearward lower edge portionsthereof to the vehicle body whereby when an impact is received againstone of the plurality of panels, that panel is movable toward thecarlines while the adjacent panels remain stationary.